Grow Local, Grow National
Good growth can only be delivered through strong local leadership, practical action and genuine partnership working.
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To make sure policy and practice reflect what works in real places, the iED has launched the first draft of our 2026 Delivering Good Growth report, as part of a wider piece of work to help shape a national conversation about what growth should deliver for people and places.
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Our starting point is simple: growth should not be judged by economic output alone. It should also be judged by whether it improves lives, widens opportunity, strengthens communities and supports long-term environmental progress.
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This is not a final version of the report. Instead, it is the starting point of a bigger piece of work that we would value your input towards. It already includes several member case studies, but further real-world examples and evidence from across the profession will make it even stronger.
Download the report
We are now inviting members to get involved by sharing examples of:
- Projects that improved outcomes for residents, businesses or places
- Evidence of what worked (and what did not)
- Practical approaches to inclusion, skills, town centres, business support, net zero or community-led development
- Local data, results or lessons that could help others across the profession.
This is a great opportunity to contribute to an important national discussion, help raise the profile of your work, and make sure the final document reflects the realities of delivery across different places and organisations.
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If you would like to contribute a case study, insights, or further evidence for consideration in the 2026 Delivering Good Growth report, please join one of our online focus groups. To register, follow the individual links below. These will be taking place via Teams.
Delivering Good Growth focus groups
- 23rd March, 2.00–3.30pm – Delivery in an urban settingÂ
- 27th April, 2.00–3.30pm – The challenge of post-industrial towns
- 26th May, 2.00–3.30pm – Rural economies
- 29th June, 2.00–3.30pm – Supporting those most difficult to reach
- 13th July, 2.00–3.30pm – Driven by communities
- 7th September, 2.00–3.30pm – Skills and Employment
Please note, that for those focus groups that have already taken place, do please still get in touch with any thoughts on these themes.
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For any queries, please get in touch with the iED team by emailing admin@ied.co.uk.
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